The Paley Center for Media’s 28th annual William S. Paley Television Festival is upon us, and while those words may mean nothing to you if you’re not an uber TV nerd like myself, the lineup this year has something for everyone (including you Gleeks and whoever still watches American Idol).
Starting today until March 17th, PaleyFest will host cast and crew members from various TV shows on panels in front of lucky audiences who could afford to be so lucky. Unfortunately for us east coast TV fanatics, the festival takes place at Paley Center’s LA location (there’s one in NY, formerly known as the Museum of Television and Radio, a.k.a. my favorite museum I went to as a kid that one day we found out the MoMA was closed). If that doesn’t frustrate you enough, let this bit of information sink in: Judd Apatow’s brilliant but cancelled series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared will be hosting reunion panels. Freaking and geeking out yet?
PaleyFest kicks off tonight with a panel by AMC’s new zombie series The Walking Dead featuring writer/director/executive producer Frank Darabont, executive producers Gale Ann Hurd and Robert Kirkman, and several cast members. Tomorrow, the vampires come out to slay with HBO’s hit vampire drama (or as I thought of it when I first saw it, vampire porn) True Blood, including Q&A from creator/executive producer Alan Ball and cast members such as Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgard, Sam Trammell, and more. On March 7th, PaleyFest continues with a more realistic drama, USA Network’s White Collar repped by creator/executive producer Jeff Eastern, executive producers Jeff King and Mark Goffman, and stars of the show including Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, and Tiffani Thiessen (guess she’s not too busy anymore).
On March 8th, Hot in Cleveland brings out the comedy side of the festival (if you can really consider Hot in Cleveland a comedy) featuring executive producers Sean Hayes and Suzanne Martin and Cleveland ladies (that’s what you call women over 40 right?) Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, and the only valid reason to attend this panel – Betty White. The actual good TV comedy panels begin the next night with one of the best relatively new shows you should be watching (especially if you miss how amazing fellow NBC mockumentary The Office was in its first few seasons), Parks and Recreation. Along with executive producers Greg Daniels and Michael Shur, Pawnee’s colorful residents will be present, including Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe, Adam Scott Jim O’Heir (“damnit Jerry!”), and Retta. The hilarity continues with everyone’s favorite baseball pro-turned-washed-out gym teacher Kenny Powers at the Eastbound and Down panel, followed by “An Evening with Jimmy Fallon” the next night…all leading up to the inevitably epic reunion of Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared on March 12th.
We’ll have our own coverage of this comedy-nerd-heaven of a reunion by our Quad staff writer in LA, Kelly Gallagher, but here’s a preview of who will be in attendance (be prepared to want to change your spring break plans after reading this): series creators/executive producers/directors Judd Apatow and Paul Feig, Freaks and Geeks’ Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, Martin Starr, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Busy Philipps, Jason Segel, Joe Flaherty; Undeclared‘s Jay Baruchel, Monica Keena, Carla Gallo, Timm Sharp, Christina Payano, Jarrett Grode, and Kevin Rankin. After that panel, comedy nerds can recover for a couple days since Supernatural (with best-looking TV show bros Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) and American Idol are scheduled next in the lineup.
Another one of the best relatively new shows you should be watching is NBC’s Community, which is the next panel comedy nerds will be flocking to on the 15th. Everyone from the study group you wish you belonged to will be there, including Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Chevy Chase and Ken Jeong, as well as creator/executive producer Dan Harmon. Gleeks everywhere can rejoice over Glee‘s panel featuring co-creator/executive producer Ryan Murphy and Gleemates Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith, Heather Morris, Mike O’Malley (the Global Guts guy!), Amber Riley, Naya Rivera and Jenna Ushkowitz. PaleyFest wraps up on the 17th with new (attempt at) comedy, Fox’s Raising Hope.
So… does anyone want to take an impromptu roadtrip to LA within the next week or so??
